Angels And Demons
by Lilikap
Summary: The Angels go snooping around, until they realise they don't only have a killer, but something much bigger, much worse and irreversible. Dreams turn into nightmares, and an angel creates a demon.All of the Angels are in a danger they might not be able to overcome. Rated M because of violence and language. (not supernatural things involved people)
1. Chapter 1

Angels And Demons

The young woman on the floor convulsed for a few seconds then laid still. Her breathing became harsh and ragged and her mouth was shut in a firm line. Her eyes stared up to the white ceiling, wide open, as perspiration started to drop down her tired and pale features. Suddenly her hands clenched into tight fists and she convulsed again.

The man watched, croutched over her for a while. Then, he got up and smiled. ''It looks good.'' he said to himself. He paced to the corner of the room and opened a door. There was a blond woman inside, sitting on the floor in the bare room. She didn't look at him when he spoke.

''Go bring me another one.'' He let slid a hunters knife on the floor towards her, and pointed at a picture on the wall. ''Did you hear what I said?''

The blond nodded and picked up the knife. ''Yes.''

He smiled again. ''Don't be late. I expect you within the hour.''

He stepped aside to let her pass and she left the room. He closed the door and looked back at the other woman on the floor. No change. He glanced at the branding iron flushing different sides of red in the fire corner. This was all going smoothly.

''Okay... how about this one-''

''Bri, that's enough!''

Sabrina made an annoyed sound with her tongue and sunk into her seat. ''You're a jerk sometimes Kel.'' she stated.

''And you are irritating.'' Kelly sighed. ''I told you, your jokes s-u-c-k.''

''You are just a humourless woman Kelly Garret.''

Kris lifted her hands up. ''Girls girls, quit fighting and help me with this... should I add pepper or basil on the steaks?''

''I vote for basil!'' Sabrina exclaimed, raising her fist.

Kelly shook her head. ''Your taste buds have been destroyed from Scotch.'' she looked up to Kris, from her seat on the couch. ''I think caramelized onions would be better.''

Sabrina poked her. ''You're just being mean!'' she snorted. ''Yuk!''

Kris buried her face in her palms. ''You two...'' she turned her back at them. ''The menu has potato chips, whether you like it or not. Case closed.''

''I think that's okay...'' Sabrina nodded. ''Is there any Scotch in here?'' she got up and runmaged in the cupboard.

Kelly pointed her finger at Sabrina. ''See what I mean Kris?!''

Kris' left eye twitched. ''Sabrina Duncan get your paws off my whiskey, NOW!'' She shouted, making Sabrina snort again and withdraw from the cupboard.

Bosley looked at them and burst into laughter. ''Don't bother Kris, I ordered take-out five minutes ago.''

''Bosley!'' all three angels said, with eyebrows dropping.

''I was hungry! And you would never decide what we would eat!''

Sabrina finally found the cupboard she was looking for and took the bottle in her lap. ''Pff okay Bos but-''

She was interrupted by the telephone ringing. Bosley hit the button and the warm voice filled the room.

''Good morning Angels. We have a case.''


	2. Welcome to Death Valley

Chapter 2: Welcome to Death Valley

''What we got Charlie?'' Kelly asked, keeping her eyes on the slide show playing off the wall.

Charlie took in a deep breath. ''This is Harrison's Private School of Social Studies for girls, Angels.''

''Wow... this looks like...'' Sabrina started.

''It is located in Inyo County Sabrina.'' Charlie interrupted. Sabrina's eyes grew wide. Kelly frowned. ''What is it?''

''Charlie... are you sending us into Death Valley?!''

Kelly's voice joined Sabrina's hysteria. ''You're WHAT?!''

Bosley chewed his lip. ''I get sunburned.'' he muttered, and heard Charlie chuckle from the phone.

''Well that's okay Bosley, because you have to stay here and sort some papers in LA.'' He ignored the united groan from the Angels and he started explaining. ''Last night the body of a young girl, Hazel O'Malley, was discovered in the school grounds. We have been hired by her parents to find who did this.''

Sabrina nodded. ''Okay.'' she replied with a sigh.

Bosley clicked on the slide show and Charlie continued his explanation. ''Kris will get in as a student-''

''Not again!'' The blond Angel exclaimed and gave a hard shove to Sabrina who burst out laughing.

''Kelly.'' Charlie continued after a short pause. ''You will be a waitress in the School Cafeteria and you Sabrina...I have found out that you have an interesting degree in Human Behaviour.''

''Oh God...''

''You may have done your best to hide it angel, but you can't hide from me. Guess who will be the new Human Behaviour professor, after the previous one quit?''

''God...'' She sulked in her chair. ''Why do I get to be in school again?''

Kris pushed her again. ''Look who's talking! I'm a student!'' They both looked at Kelly, who opened her mouth to protest but was cut off. ''You shut up!'' they said together.

''Pfff...'' Kelly mumbled.

''Your plane leaves in two hours Angels, and oh! Pack light clothes. It's hot this time of the year.''

The call ended and Bosley smiled at the Angels. ''Be safe girls.''

''You must be kidding...'' was the first thing Kelly thought when they landed. The hot air whooshed at her, thick and feeling solid with the heat. Sabrina behind her, leaving the air-conditioned small plane, gasped.

''What the hell-'' Kris bumped into her, almost knocking her on the ground.

Kelly shook her head. ''And I always wondered how does smoked ham feel. No. That's a lie. Actually I never did wonder. But I am about to find out. Whether I want, or not.''

Sabrina poked her with her finger a bit. ''I am sorry I interrupt your monologue, but do you see our driver anywhere?''

In the distance, the plane took off and left. Then everything went quiet, except the noise of insects. Kris sat on her suitcase, as sweat started rolling down her face. So much for leather pants. She panted, the heat making her breathing hard. ''He's late.'' She glance at her watch. ''It's six o'clock.''

Sabrina looked up, but she couldn't see clearly. The sun reflected off the heated ground, and the effect was dizzying. Soon, to the three girls, the sun felt like it had moved...or had the heat played tricks?. Sabrina regretted not taking her baseball cap with her now. She scratched her neck and sat on the hot ground next to Kris. Kelly was the only one standing now, but soon she sat down too, feeling slightly nauseous.

''What time is it?'' Kris asked.

''One minute later than the last time you asked!'' Kelly jumped at Kris irritated.

''Seven thirty.'' Sabrina said with a low voice.

Kris chewed her lip. ''Where the hell is our ride?''

''I have no friggin' idea Kris.'' Sabrina replied uncomfortably. This wasn't a good start indeed.


	3. The journey

3

Thanks Garmun and thanks to Laeyeball as well for being my beta! Hope more people get interested sooooon!  
LK

* * *

''So now what?''

''I don't know stop asking me Kris!'' Kelly sighed. She watched as her rose-cheaked-from-the-heat friend sigh in response. Sabrina wouldn't stop pacing, and it was starting to get annoying. ''Bri stop that!''

''Hey we need to get to the school, and I am not willing to spend the night with the coyotes!''

''Are there even coyotes here?'' Kris asked.

''Yeh, there are.'' Sabrina stopped pacing. ''Come on. It will get dark and cooler soon and when the sun comes down, we're in danger. Maybe the driver got a flat tire or something. I know that it is a long walk, but we can make it. Just keep walking east from the airport.''

Kris got up to protest, but it seemed to be a bit too much for her. She ended crashing into Bri, who carefully laid her on the ground. ''Hey, hey Kris!'' She was aware of Kelly kneeling next to her. ''Do we have any water?'' Sabrina asked. **Her colleague** nodded and passed her a small water bottle. At first Sabrina **patted her friends cheek a little**, but **after getting no response**, she opened the water bottle and **proceeded to empty some contents** over Kris' head. ''Hey! Wake up!'' Kris coughed and waved her arms around, one of them landing on Sabrina's nose.

''Goddammit!'' she exclaimed as she fell on the ground next to Kris, her nose buried in her palms.

''Are you stupid?!'' Kris yelled and got up to a sitting position. She tried to wipe the water off her face with her hand. ''What the hell did you do that for?!''

''You passed out, you idiot!'' Sabrina muffled through her hands. ''Great!'' she groaned loudly at Kris when she saw her hands were coated with blood.

''It's not my fault you know!''

Their fight was interrupted by the sounds of a horn. All three looked up to the large 4X4. A man with a large old cowboy hat jumped out.

''Hellooooh guuurls!'' he said merrily, taking his hat off and bowing. ''Looks like I was right oooon time! Hop in!''

''You were what?!'' Kelly growled, but Sabrina kicked her discreetly as they got into the car. It wasn't the time to start a fight with their only way out of the living hell. Kris flushed an even brighter shade of red as she got up and brushed her pants. She took the front seat.

The sun was gone, but the temperature wasn't quite relieving, at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, even without the sun scorching their heads in the no-roof 4X4. **Sabrina sunk herself into the comfortable rear seat in some small relief and** looked at her bloodied hands. Then back at Kelly, who was looking outside. She discreetly wiped them on Kelly's shirt, masking the action into a hug.

''Hey, what's wrong with you back off! Oh my God!'' Kelly shrieked and Sabrina prepared an apology in her mind. ''It's a spider-a spider-a spider get it away from me!'' She started swatting on her shoulders and knees. Kris turned around. ''Hey, it's just an insect, come on!''

''You shut up!''

In the meanwhile the spider had crawled it's way up to Sabrina's collar, and the next swat Kelly gave to the spider, ended half in the brunette's face.

''Ooof!'' Sabrina groaned. ''Nosebleed-nosebleed-nosebl-'' she was interrupted from another panicked slap. ''Stoppit Kelly!''

Kris calmly turned back again and captured the small spider between her thumb and index. ''It's not a poisonous one...'' she muttered.

''Throw it awayyyy!'' Kelly yelled in her ears, but Kris was looking at it even closer.

''When I was young...'' she started saying. ''I took small spiders and chopped their legs off... one by one... until they couldn't run anymore...''

Sabrina made a grimace of disgust, **as she suddenly suspended her current task of nose wiping**. ''Ew Kris. I really didn't need to know this.''

''Well Jill liked to eat them when she was in kindergarten...''

Kelly's left eye twitched nervously as she turned an odd shade of green. ''Enough. Enough!''

The driver smiled, and turned up the volume of a country music station.

''I am glad y'all are enjoyin' yer stay here!'' he said, a bit before he started singing along, without even noticing Kelly's eye twitching again, as Sabrina held her down to stop her from using brute force on Kris, to make her throw the spider away.


	4. Mirage

**_Thanks for the beta Laeyeball._**

**_LK_**

* * *

4

They stopped in the middle of nowhere and got out of the car. Sabrina nodded.

''We got to split up. One of us will take the car, and the rest on foot.''

Kelly sighed. ''How long will it take for us to reach the school on foot?''

The driver took off his hat, and tossed it in the back seat. ''Bout thirty minutes. Dya all ladies got boom stick with ya?''

''Excuse me?'' Kris scratched her head.

''Oh, ya know, guns and stuff.'' he chimed.

''Oh errr... yeah we do.''

Sabrina chuckled. ''Kris, hop in the car, me and Kelly will...''

''No way Duncan!'' Kelly protested. Sabrina rolled her eyes and shoved her away.

''Be careful Kris.'' Sabrina winked. ''Jill would kill us if anything went wrong.'' She grabbed Kelly's shirt and dragged her along, until they were nothing more than a couple of dots in the distance.

Kris got in the front seat again, and the smiling man started the proper greeting.

''So, I'm **Johnny**, my old man runs the place.'' he turned the music up again, as he drove slowly. ''He been worried about mass panic. Hazel's folk gave him a call, he knows who you three are, but trust me honey-cheeks, this won't leave **the** car. I shall be silent like a grave.'' he pantomimed a zipper on his mouth.

Really? Honey-cheeks? ''That's good **Johnny**. I'm Kris.''

''Glad to meet ya sweet cakes.''

Eeeew. ''Glad to meet you.''

In the **meantime,**Sabrina and Kelly **were fighting each other **all the way to the academy.

''Why the hell did you let Kris ride **alone**?!''

''Because she's blond and pretty.'' Sabrina muttered.

''What?!'' Kelly gasped.

''Just saying! She passed out from the heat earlier! That's why! Focus Kelly, focus!''

''Oh!'' For the first time Kelly laughed. The heat was making her grumpy and edgy.

Sabrina's eyebrows rose in a grin. ''So, we're about two miles away.'' she pointed at a small eerie outline in the horizon. ''It could be it, or just a Fata Morgana.''

''Uh?''

''Fata Morgana: Is a complex mirage seen right above the narrow line on the horizon. The phrase derives from Latin, for fairy, because it was believed that the illusion was fairy castles. This optical phenomenon occurs because rays of light are bent when they pass through air layers of different temperatures in a steep thermal inversion where an atmospheric duct has formed. A classic Fata Morgana illusion is the ship of the flying Dutchman-'' Sabrina paused and turned to Kelly, to see if she was following. ''I'm talking to myself, aren't I?''

Kelly silently nodded, without taking her eyes of Bri, who sighed and shoved her hands in her pockets. ''It's actually an illusion caused from the heat and other factors. Basically, your eyes go cuckoo 'cause of the sun.''

''Oh.''

Soon the sun went down, and at least they weren't directly struck by the rays. A few minutes later they passed under the ''Welcome to Harrison's School For Girls'' sign. Sabrina took the path to her left and Kelly to her right. **shouldn't** be seen together. Sabrina actually felt lucky she didn't have a large suitcase to carry, like Kelly had, but only a **rucksack **. Or maybe she was**the** most optimistic about how long their stay would be Either way, they had just arrived. She entered the school building, and a cleaning woman showed her the way to the offices. She briskly knocked on the Principals office.

''Enter.'' came the voice from inside.

''Aye aye captain...'' she muttered to herself as she pushed the door open. She was greeted by a gray haired man in his late fifties. After a brief greeting and handshake they sat down to discuss. From what she picked up, the man wasn't exactly happy about her presence , neither convinced from the fact that one of his students was well...dead.

''You see, we're a small community here, and believe me, none of my girls or staff would ever do something like this.''

''I believe you Mr Harrison, it is important though that we rule out the staff and students as suspects. It will be a long process.'' She sat down on an offered chair. ''I understand that the police are not really investigating?''

''No, of course, as I told you, the death was a horrible accident.'' He inhaled sharply. ''There is nothing to investigate.''

''Well, Hazel's parents think it might not have been an accident. Has there been a funeral?''

''No, the parents requested the body stays in the morgue until you are here.''

Sabrina locked her hands together nervously. ''And where exactly is the morgue?''

''Johnny can take you there early in the morning.'' He nodded at her confusion. ''My son.''

''Ah. That is okay then. Tell him, I will wait by the front gates tomorrow at six. Class starts at 8.30 right?''

''Indeed.''

She got up, and shook his hand again. ''My co-workers must already be in the building. I would like you to keep it like we're not linked in any way.''

''Of course. Have a good night.'' he said dismissively.

Sabrina offered him a forced smile and exited the room.


	5. A case for an Angel

6

When Johnny finally came to pick Sabrina up, she had turned a beautiful roasted lobster colour. If it was possible, steam would literally be pouring from her nose. Yes, she had tried to cool off but cooling off was merely a figure of speech in 135 degrees. She sighed and tossed a matted strand of hair away from her forehead.

She entered class in a furious manner, and she was aware of clothes fluttering and bags unzipping. She took in a deep breath and turned around with a fake smile. ''Hellooooo-ooo everybodeh.'' she grinned and scanned the room. There were sixteen girls, from twenty to twenty four, as she had been informed. She maintained eye contact with one of the older girls in the back and then pulled her gaze away.

''Sooo...'' She sat on her desk. ''Are you the new blood here?'' She smiled at the shy nods she received.

''Well let's see... Today I would like to meet all of you, get to know you better, and tomorrow start with an experiental lesson, a change from usual theory.'' She waited for the murmurs to pause. ''I'm Sabrina Reyes, and together we will learn about social behaviour and human interaction. I know it sounds dull at first but you will see what I have in store for you tomorrow.''

Sabrina was having a series of coughing fits. She decided sleep wasn't worth another try. It was hot, and it was hard to breathe in the heat. She kept tossing her clothes around, but she soon realised she really didn't want to waltz around naked so she stayed in shorts and T-shirt. For the first time in years she had to pull her hair up in a short pony-tail, so she wouldn't feel like her neck was on fire. She wondered how Kelly would cope, with that hair of hers.

She glanced at her watch. 11 o'clock. Outside night had fallen, and a pale moon was shimmering across the dessert. Speaking of Kelly, Sabrina really wanted to know how her colleague was doing. Maybe she had words from Kris as well. Unfortunately, this time Kris wasn't in her class, there was more ground to cover and they had to split up. Quietly, she got up, opened the door and looked around. Clear. She silently made her way to the staff dorms and knocked on Kelly's door.

''Kelly?''

She frowned when she took no response. She tried the knob and the door opened without a sound. She slipped in the dark room, but didn't turn any light on. A small lamp next to the bed was enough to make out Kelly's shape, sitting with her back turned to her.

''Hey, don't leave your door unlocked like that...'' Sabrina said softly. ''It's dangerous.''

Kelly turned around startled and gave her a haunted look. ''What the hell are you doing here?''

''Whoa, relax, I just came by to see if you've found anything.'' She said, taking a few steps closer.

Kelly shook her head. ''No, I haven't.''

'' Is everything alright Kelly?'' She said, as she sat down on the bed, next to her friend. Kelly didn't answer, just lowered her head. Sabrina slowly put her hand on her shoulder. ''Is anything bothering you?''

''Nothing related to the case Bri.'' Kelly sighed.

Sabrina looked down at a bruise forming on her hand and lifted Kelly's chin up gently, to face her. ''You've been crying.'' she stated.

''No I haven't. Shouldn't you be sleeping? You got class early tomorrow, and we got a case.''

''I don't care about the case.'' Slowly she took her hand away. ''I care about you.'' She got down on the floor, so she could look in her friend's eyes. ''What is going on?''

Without a warning Kelly burst out crying and Sabrina grabbed a couple of tissues from the box she had obviously been using earlier. ''Hey, hey...'' she soothed, rubbing small circles with her palm on Kelly's back. She rarely saw her like this, so Sabrina was more than generally troubled by this... outpouring. She was starting to get seriously worried.

''Kelly what's wrong?'' she bit into her lip, waiting for her friend to finally muster a few words between sobs.  
''I seriously messed up Bri...''


	6. An Angel's demands

7

''Now. Take in some deep breaths, yes, that's it.'' she patted Kelly's back. ''Atta-girl.''

Kelly sniffed and pulled away. Sabrina sighed. ''Can you tell me now, what's up?''

Kelly looked around, as if concerned that someone would be eavesdropping. Then she looked up to Sabrina, who was waiting patiently in the semi-dark room. She nodded. ''It's okay, it's okay, you can trust me.''

Kelly closed her eyes, and pulled her legs up to her chest. She opened her eyelids slowly and inhaled through her nose. ''I have told you I'm an orphan yes?''

''Yeah...'' Sabrina frowned. ''But never anything else.''

''Well. I didn't grow up in the orphanage.''

''Oh.''

''Not always anyway. I got tossed around many foster families.''

Sabrina didn't speak. She reached for a tissue and passed it to Kelly.

''So... I found out... the night before, that...''

''That?''

''That the last foster family I was placed to... Is back in the social services catalogue... and...a little boy was placed there a couple of months ago.''

''Oh.''

''Sabrina you...''

''Shh...'' the taller woman pulled her into an embrace. ''Shhh... don't talk...''

''You-You don't know! He...''

''I said don't talk. I know.''

''What?'' Kelly pushed her away, the tears streaming from her eyes. ''What do you know?''

Sabrina sighed and look down at the wooden floor. ''I know about the little girl who got admitted in the emergency with a broken arm,I know about the little girl who got admitted with a concussion, I know about the teenager who got admitted with a broken rib... I know-''

''How?!'' Kelly choked.

''One day... I accidentally looked at your file.''

''You never said-''

Look Kelly, I'm so-'' she stopped as Kelly's appeared to move all by itself and back handed her on the face. She got up surprised.

''Get out of here!'' she shouted.

The taller Angel's heart sunk. She nodded, turned around and closed the door behind her without a sound. She placed her palm on the closed door, hearing Kelly's sobs from inside. Then she sighed, and started walking to her room. She jumped and almost screamed when she collided with something solid in the darkness.

''Ow!'' exclaimed the ''something solid''. ''Watch where you're going dude! You blind goddammit?!'' Then the ''something solid'' looked up to Sabrina and covered her mouth. ''I'm sorry Miss Reyes!''

Sabrina tried to focus on the person talking. A young black woman with striking features, a lot shorter was saying something. ''I'm... I'm sorry...'' Sabrina managed to say, pushing her aside softly. ''I'm sorry... sorry, I really need to go... I...''

''Are you alright Miss?''

''Yeah, yeah, you... go to your room... it's dangerous in the dark... I'm sorry...''

She walked away quickly as thoughts became overwhelming. The other woman raised her eyebrows in surprise. ''Wow.''

''Charles Townsend. How many times have I asked for a favour?''

Silence on the other end.

''How many times have I solved a seemingly unsolvable case?''

Silence on the other end.

''I really. Really. Need you to do this.'' Sabrina sighed. ''Please for God's sake Charlie. Help me out here.

''Okay. You got it. '' Charlie muttered, not sounding very happy to give in to his Angel's demands. Sabrina's eyes lit up. ''Charles Townsend you're the best boss ever.''

''One boss that is ready to give in to a pretty woman's demands... some businessman I am!'' He chuckled.

''Oh no, I'm not a pretty woman, I'm an Angel.'' She winked and she knew from his laughter that he had guessed it.

''Be careful Angel.''

He hung up.


	7. Destination

_**Hello guys! It seems I'm the invisible writer out there heh! due to fanfiction having issues my previous chapter didn't show up, so I hope y'all check back and take a look. Let me know what you think, 'cause it's getting pretty lonely out here, and I really don't wanna give this fic up!  
LK**_

* * *

''What are you doing back here? I don't want to talk to you. Please Bri.'' Kelly protested when her door cracked open a bit.

''Get up. We're leaving.'' Sabrina said simply.

Kelly sat up from the lying position she was in when Sabrina got in. ''What? Going where?''

''Back to LA for a day.'' She closed the door behind her, but stayed on the same spot. ''Charlie's orders.''

''Kris?''

''She stays here. We have to be quick. Come on. ''

Kelly nodded and got up to follow her. She stopped. ''Wait, I'm wearing my pyjamas. I need to change.''

''Meet you at the entrance gates in fifteen minutes.'' She turned to leave but stopped. ''If you are not there, I will personally come into your room, put a bag over your head and carry you in the plane myself. Clear?''

Kelly sighed. ''Clear.''

Sabrina walked out, to the 4x4 she had managed to borrow from Johnny. The guy liked them, it seemed. He looked okay. She turned on the ignition and the AC and waited for Kelly. She came exactly a minute early. Sabrina chuckled and pointed the front seat to her. ''Hop in.''

Kelly stopped. She thought about taking the back seat, but it wasn't time for fighting now. She took her place next to her, hopefully not former, friend. They drove quietly through the heat to the small airport, from which the midnight flight left. Sabrina made a mental note in her head. Tomorrow's flight was the last for the week. They had to catch it, otherwise Kris would be stuck there alone.

Kelly was more than irritated that her seat on the plane was next to Sabrina as well. At least hers was on the window side. She leaned her cheek on the cool glass and drifted into sleep very soon. She woke up thirty minutes later. All the passengers were asleep. The lights were dimmed and someone was snoring in the back. The air-conditioning made the atmosphere, for once, very cool and pleasant. She was ready to go back to sleep again when she noticed that Sabrina was awake. Sweat was streaming down her forehead and she was inhaling sharply through her nose. It wasn't a nightmare, her eyes were wide open, staring somewhere. Kelly looked down at her hands shaking. Could it be the plane? No, she wasn't afraid of flying, they had been in planes together countless times. It couldn't possibly be that. She chewed her lip.

''Are you okay Bri?''

She took no answer and her eyes wandered over the other Angel's cheek, where her ring had caught the skin when she has stupidly lashed out and hit her. She kicked herself mentally.

''Bri?''

The inhaling became sharper, but again, there was no answer. Kelly started getting seriously worried.

She grabbed both of her shoulders and shook her. ''Sabrina!'' She said again. Sabrina jumped and coughed. ''Wh-What is it?!'' she panted. ''What do you want?!'' She got up and found her balance in the plane. ''Go back to sleep!''

''Are you alright?!'' Kelly asked, irritated again.

''I just gotta go get some water. You sleep.''

She left, and Kelly waited up for a while, but her exhaustion was too much to fight. She fell asleep.

Next thing she knew they landed with a thud.

''Welcome to LA!'' the stewardess said to the very few passengers. She and Sabrina got down quickly. They had no luggage with them, so they headed straight to Sabrina's car. She had left it there , parked outside the airport before they left. They didn't exchange a word, but Kelly got a chance to realise that Sabrina's eyes were read and sunken, but not from crying, like hers were. She checked herself in the mirror. She looked bad too. But Bri... what was wrong with her? Her hands were shaking on the wheel again.

''Sabrina, what's wrong with you?''

''Nothing.''

''Bri-''

''I said nothing!''

Kelly frowned and sunk in her seat. Then she looked around. ''Hey, what are you doing? Where are we going?''


	8. Silence

******_And after the silence ... there were.. REVIEWS!_**

**_LK_**

* * *

9

''Why you ask?''

''Because we're heading out of LA! Sabrina!''

''Just shut up Kells.'' She said softly, with no threat in her voice. Kelly winced and prepared herself for an argument but changed her mind. Sabrina would do what she wanted to do anyway. They were driving in silence when she suddenly heard Sabrina hum. She recognised the song, and smiled gently when she heard her sing lowly.

''Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars...'' She hummed again. ''Mmm...'' Kelly closed her eyes and sang the next lines. ''Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars...'' She stopped.

''Bri?''

''Yeah?'' Her eyebrow rose, but didn't turn to look at her friend.

''You okay?''

''I'm fine.''

Jeez Sabrina. You do know how to kill a conversation dead. Kelly scratched her head and wished she hadn't interrupted her singing, because now the silence felt thicker. The dawn broke soon and Kelly realised where they were going.

''Why are you taking me there?''

''... 'Cause...''

''Sabrina.''

''You owe this to this kid... just this little thing.''

''Why...?''

''Because you know-''

''Not that. Why are you taking me?''

They both stopped talking. Kelly didn't attempt a conversation again. She sunk in her seat and tried to hide a few tears of frustration. Sabrina looked at the rear-view mirror and stopped at the side of the road. The road was empty. She killed the engine and shifted her attention to Kelly. She brushed a generous swath of errant hair from Kelly's face and looked in her eyes, and then without a warning pulled her into an embrace. When Kelly looked at her again, she was already starting the engine and clicking her seat belt on.

Kelly sunk down in her seat even more, sobs wrecking her body, and she knew Sabrina was aware, but kept on looking forward, driving on the never ending highway.

Running, chasing the things they lost, chasing the things they would never get to in time, the memories that Kelly wanted to evade for years, all leading back to one place that haunted her dreams. All of the nights she couldn't sleep but cried instead, all the nights she spend her hours looking outside a window up to the stars in the sky, led there.

All of the times she wanted to pick up the phone and call someone, the times that went empty and lost, she knew they all led up there, but still didn't want to go. Still didn't want to. And now Sabrina was taking her there, without asking her, without considering her opinion. Did this woman even know what she was doing?! She wanted to open the door, yell at her to hit the brake. Yell at her that she is not one to mess around with, just yell until she couldn't breathe, but these damn tears wouldn't stop, they just formed a lump in her throat making it impossible to talk, impossible to scream at Sabrina that she had to leave her alone, that she had to back off. She had to, God she had to otherwise...

Otherwise what Kelly? Otherwise she would find out things she didn't want? Otherwise ... you would lose the only person in this world... that seemed to care a little bit about you? And what about Kris? Kris talks to much... She was a fine person, true, but how would she react if she just one day dropped by her place and opened her big mouth and broke up just in front of her?

Jill would kill her...

A small nudge on her shoulder startled her back to reality. Sabrina pushed a box of tissues in her lap, without looking at her. Kelly took it from her, but when Bri tried to pull her hand away she didn't let her. Finally she looked at her, questioningly. Kelly held her hand in hers and looked up.

''Thank you.''


	9. Middle of Nowhere

She heard her chuckle. She frowned. ''Why you laughing?!''

''Your nose is running on your shirt...''  
Kelly's mouth tightened in a straight line and she swatted Sabrina's

shoulder, until they both burst out laughing loudly.

''Don't hit the driver!'' Sabrina protested. She reached for the glove  
compartment and pulled out a small handkerchief. ''Are you gonna blow  
your nose on my windows as well?!'' She threw it at Kelly. ''If you  
do, wipe them at least!''

Kelly kept on laughing, feeling the tears dry on her cheeks, replaced

by different kinds of tears, those of joy and tears just so full of

the feeling that she had someone there. Between her laughs though, she

still noticed the slight shaking of Sabrina's hands around the wheel.  
During the remaining time they had left to drive, both Bri and Kelly found

themselves joining voices and singing hysterically and terrifyingly off pitch,  
with Kelly gustily and loudly trying Louis Armstrong's voice while yelling at her friend:  
''And I think to myself... What a wonderful world!''

Kelly was starting to feel hungry when Sabrina finally stopped the car in

front of a large building.

''Why're we stopping here?'

''I want you to meet someone.'' Sabrina replied, while stretching her  
neck in an impossible angle to look back.

Kelly poked her. ''You look like the little girl from "The Exorcist". ''

''Oh.''

''What the hell is this place anyway?''

''A school, if it isn't obvious...''

''And what are we doing here?!'' Kelly started to panic.

''Shhh!'' Sabrina opened her door, and bent down to Kelly, still in

the car. ''You stay here. Back in a minute.''

Kelly watched her friends taller figure jog away and then approach a much smaller form of  
a little boy. She watched further as Bri knelt down next to him and show him some kind of paper.  
He then appeared to hesitantly follow Sabrina back towards the car, where, as Kelly looked on in earnest, he was quietly ushered into the back of the vehicle.

Kelly slowly repeated the law code for under age abduction in her head. But she abruptly and somewhat shamefully corrected her thinking when Sabrina pulled her out of the car, and coerced her into the back seat beside the silent boy, gesturing her to stay quiet. The little boy sat quietly on her left now, head low,  
hands resting on his lap. Something in Kelly recognised the posture directed towards herself of,

''You're old and weird and I don't like you.''

Bri started the engine and they got out on the highway. She cleared  
her throat and sighed. ''Hey Tommy. This is Kelly, the girl I told you  
about on the phone.''

''The one who fights the bad guys?'' he said, with a small smile.

''Uh huh!''

''Cool! Does she have a gun like you?''

''Um... I'm sure you got better things to discuss...We're gonna get to

a pizza place for food when you two are done, good?'' She turned left, following the road signs.

''And then we will take you home, and you will never say we met, to  
anybody, like we agreed.''

This time the smile became real. ''Great!''

Kelly half smiled as well. ''So, what's your name?''

''Tommy.'' he shook her hand over excited. ''You're Kelly right?''

''Yep, I am.'' She looked down, on her shoes and sighed audibly. ''Me  
and you, Tommy, we need to talk.'' She noticed his eyes go dark. ''No,  
no you haven't done something, I just need to talk to you about  
Harold, do you understand?''

''You...you know Harold?'' he said quietly.

''Yes, Tommy, I do.'' She swallowed hard and noticed Sabrina looking

at her through the rear-view mirror. ''And we really, really need to

talk.''

Sabrina kept on stepping on the gas pedal, while Kelly started  
talking, with a voice that didn't seem hers, an alien voice that said  
things Sabrina didn't want to hear, things she wanted to pretend that  
they never escaped her friends mouth, a sound a little more louder  
than a faint whisper. She heard Tommy's voice answer now and then as  
well, but she just kept looking straight away, not back to the two  
people in the back seat, but straight forward, hiding this way her own  
tears, rolling down her cheeks.


	10. North of Nothing

_**Helloooo here's an author craving some attention...! Please?! Thanks for the beta La!**_

_**Lk**_

* * *

''If you need anything, I mean, anything, this is my card, for the office, and it has my home number written on the back. You can call me, or the office anytime.'' Kelly glanced briefly on the rearview mirror and Sabrina nodded at her. She pulled another card from her pocket. ''This is Sabrina's number. If you can't reach me, for some reason, this is my friend's number. You can trust her, okay? She looked at the little boy. ''Just get to a pay phone and charge the call to me. I promise I will do everything I can to get a hold of the situation.'' She smiled. ''I am going to try get you out of here, but it will take time. Trust me, okay Tommy?''

He sighed. ''Uh huh.'' he nibbled his upper lip. ''Will you come again?''

''I will find a way to.''

''Okay...''

''And remember, nobody will learn about this meeting.'' She fished a few dollar bills from her pocket and handed them to him. ''Hide these.'' He nodded and she watched him walk away to a cross road. She sniffed and got back to the front seat, next to Sabrina who started the car and left immediately. She looked straight forward. ''How did you know he would pick up the phone when you called?''

''I did some checking on the family's work hours.''

Kelly nodded. ''Thanks.''

''So. Let's go home. Our flight leaves early tomorrow morning.''

Kelly rolled down the window to get some air. ''Sure.''

Sabrina kept on driving and in a couple of hours they were in front of Kelly's house. Kelly though didn't get out of the car. Sabrina lifted her eyebrows. ''You're not going?''

She looked past Sabrina, at the house. ''Can I ask for a favour?''

''Um... go ahead?'' the other woman frowned.

''Can you... Can you stay with me tonight?''

''It depends...''

''On what?''

''You won't snore all night.''

Kelly's eyes grew wide. ''I don't snore!''

''Yes you do.'' Sabrina stated, taking the keys from the engine and getting out of the car.

''I most certainly don't!''

''You talk too.''

''Huh?!'' Kelly stopped dead in her tracks.

She locked the orange Pinto. ''Yeah.''

''What do I say?!''

''Among other things? 'I hate jam' and 'Charlie is a-''

''Okay enough!'' Kelly laughed. ''I had no idea...''

Sabrina smiled. ''And other stuff.'' She patted her friend's shoulder. ''Promise not to punch me this time?''

''I didn't punch you!''

Sabrina cleared her throat and Kelly smirked. ''I might have... smacked you... a little bit.'' She admitted.

''I can live with that...'' She smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. ''Are we okay, Kelly?''

''I... think so Bri.''

The taller woman nodded. ''Go get some sleep.'' she pushed her lightly. ''We got a case to solve Miss detective. ''

''We sure do!''

''Tommy's a sweet kid.''

Kelly nodded as she searched in her pockets for her keys. She opened the door and headed for her bedroom upstairs, while Sabrina walked slowly to the guest room she had come to know very well over the past few years. She lay down until the ticking of her wrist watch became annoying. Sleep wouldn't come and she knew it. Kelly seemed to be having her own problems sleeping. Sabrina could hear her climb the staircase, going up and down, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom again. It was about two o'clock, and probably the fifth kitchen walk when Sabrina looked at the man sitting on the chair across the room, his eyes on her, as they had been for most of the day. She finally gave up. She needed help, and she knew it. She breathed heavily.

''Hey, Kelly?''


	11. Pierce

_**Sorry for the delay folks...be nice and let me know what you think ;-)**_

_**LK**_

* * *

12

She heard Kelly's footsteps approach, and her head appeared at the opening of the door. ''Hey, you alright?''

''Mmm can you come in for a sec?''

Kelly frowned and took a seat next to Sabrina, on the edge of the bed. ''What's happening to you?''

''I'm not quite sure yet...'' shivers ran down her body, making Kelly's frown even deeper.

''Hey, it's like 90 degrees in here, you cold?'' She put her hand hesitantly on Sabrina's shoulder.

''A little bit...'' She cleared her throat. ''Ya can't sleep?''

''No...'' She shrugged. ''You?''

''Nuh uh.'' She paused. ''Can you stay here for a bit?''

''Sabrina I'm not stupid.'' she turned to face her. ''I know something is wrong, so you might as well tell me.''

The other woman put her elbows on her knees and sighed. ''You're gonna call me crazy.'' She shivered again.

''No I won't. What's wrong?''

''Kelly... there are some weird things... happening to me, okay?''

''O... Okay?''

''There's a man in the room-''

''What?!''

Kelly rose and looked around, flicking the lights on. ''There's no one here Bri...''

''He...'' Sabrina stuttered. ''He was there in the car ... in the plane as well... he won't go away...''

''Bri... we were alone in the car...'' Kelly slowed her talking rate suddenly. She knelt in front of her friend, like she had done a night ago in Death Valley. ''How much sleep have you had lately Bri?''

''I... dunno...'' She admitted, refusing to meet Kelly's gaze.

''When was the last time you slept?''

''Um... '' She sighed. ''Monday I think.'' She moved her shoulders nervously. ''Yeah, Monday night.''

''Sabrina it's Sunday today.'' Kelly got to her feet again. ''Where is he?''

''Hmm?''

''The man, where is he?'' Kelly looked down at her friend again, knowing that something was very wrong. And in her mind a hypothesis was starting to form, about how wrong this something was, and God it was getting out of hand.

''On the chair, behind you.'' Sabrina said with an empty voice.

Kelly approached the chair. ''Now?''

Sabrina looked up. ''He is walking towards the window.''

''Okay.'' Kelly sat on the chair and looked at Bri. ''You are hallucinating.''

''I know.''

Kelly's hands clenched. ''Do you know why?''

''No.''

Kelly sighed. She got up and started pacing. She was restless as well. ''You are hallucinating because you don't sleep. But the rest? Why can't you sleep? And why are you like this?'' She sat down next to her again, all the pent up energy, the pent up emotions she had for the past couple of days threatening to explode. ''Bri. What the hell is happening?'' And they would explode on Bri, and she would hate that. Nothing of this was her fault, yet she could get caught in the crossfire. She nibbled her lower lip with worry. Sabrina's attention seemed to scatter. She wasn't listening. Kelly grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. ''Bri!'' Nothing, her eyes just seemed to wander around the room, seeing things only she could see. Kelly's stress levels were going sky high though, and her patience running really low. ''Sabrina!''

''Mm?'' was the laconic reply.

''Hey, hey! Focus!'' she gestured towards herself. ''Me, here, focus!''

''Yeh?''

Then Kelly's worried mind, realised something in the frenzy she was in, something she had noticed earlier as well but hadn't thought about. Even though it was very hot in LA and hotter in Death Valley, Sabrina had stayed in a long sleeved shirt all the time. With one rapid move Kelly grabbed her left arm and pulled up the sleeve, revealing exactly what she thought would be underneath. A couple of small needle marks, tucked carefully on the inside of her friends arm. And suddenly everything made sense.


	12. Letting Go

**_Thanks to LaEyeball for the beta... Since nobody but La told me what they think about the last chapter I will go to my corner and cry screaming ''You all hate me!''. _**

**_Or not...;-) have a good evening folks_****  
Lk**

* * *

''Why Bri?''

Silence followed. Kelly cupped her friend's cheeks with her hands. ''Why?''

She heard Sabrina sigh. ''Do you remember Arthur Croyden?''

Kelly shook her head. ''No, why? Who is he?''

Sabrina chuckled, pulling away from her. ''You have to remember me trying to find you with the chopper though!''

''Can one possibly forget that?'' She gave her friend a forced smile. ''Croyden.'' She closed her eyes trying to remember.

''Professor Croyden.'' She pulled away even further, leaning on the headboard. ''Skier. Took some shots at Joy Vance. You replaced her on KBEX.''

''Oh, yes, yes that's right.'' She brushed her hair out of her face but didn't make a move towards Sabrina. ''The crazy who wanted the research grants for the ''cold cure''. She swallowed hard. ''I admit I really freaked out when we got into that office and saw you all strapped down like a lab rat.'' She looked up to Sabrina. ''I am glad we got there in time.''

''No.'' Her teeth ground. ''You did not.''

''What... do you mean?'' Kelly stuttered, confused.

''Sodium Thiopental. Also known as Sodium Pentothal. 'Truth Serum.' '' Sabrina said in a mechanical voice, reminding Kelly of her chemistry teacher. ''Core drug used for medical purposes.''

''Okay?''

''It loosens someone up. Technically lying is more complex than saying the truth so someone tends to not lie. But me and you Kelly... we have been trained on these substances, it doesn't affect us.''

''I know, but I still don't get what you mean-''

''Croyden knew I wasn't who I said I was. He wasn't stupid to believe that such a simple drug as this would make me answer all his questions.''

''I don't get it... though. We had to drive you to the hospital afterwards... Bri...''

''Exactly. When we got to the hospital they ran a blood test.''

''Okay?''

''Croyden... had added some other stuff in the cocktail, hoping it would work.''

Kelly's heart rate started rising. Sabrina was trying to say something here, but she couldn't quite get it. ''What... _other _stuff...?''

Sabrina averted her gaze. It was getting hard to focus as the hours passed. It must be three in the morning by now, she thought.

''Sabrina?'' Kelly pushed.

''Heroine for one.'' She stopped and got to her feet, starting to pace around. ''They kept me in the hospital over night. Next morning I start having hallucinations. I call Charlie and he sends me back.'' She put her hand on the back of her neck, suddenly annoyed by the heat. ''They kept me a week in rehab. It didn't work.''

''Charlie never-''

''I asked him not to.'' She sat down. ''I worked another case with you before I started seeing things again. Only thing Charlie could do was send me to see a doctor, but it didn't work either.'' She sighed. ''We had a fight, okay?'' Her hand returned to her neck. Kelly knew it was a nervous gesture Sabrina did when she was upset. ''He.. Charlie, he told me to get a couple of months off, go home, rest, sort my head out.''

''He just... hmm...''

''I know, he told you guys I was with my family. And... I am very sorry I had to lie to you.''

Kelly nodded. She sounded honest. ''What happened during these months?''

''It got really bad...I...'' Her head lowered. ''I started seeing things.'' Kelly thought about moving a bit closer now, but then something made her abandon the idea.

''I... started thinking I was crazy.'' Kelly watched her hand again, shaky, reach up to the back of her neck and drop to her side. ''After the first two weeks I couldn't fight any more.''

''You were getting withdrawal symptoms Bri...''

The taller woman lifted her open palm to stop her from talking. ''I know. You know what was worse? The seizures. I couldn't fight the seizures.''

Kelly's eyes filled with sympathy. It was her friend here, she realised. She had been feeling angry, upset but it really was her friend here, and she was raw, hurt open, and she understood, oh yes Kelly knew that right now she had to help, despite her own feelings.

''Bri...''

''The spasms.. the everything... it became too much.''

''And you started again.''

''Yes.'' She replied with her voice full of shame.

''Now?'' Kelly finally made that move towards her.

''Clean.'' Sabrina said.

''For how long?''

''A week.''

''Is this why you can't sleep?''

She nodded. ''I can't sleep, I can't eat, I am... trying to be here for you but it's not working, and I'm... I'm sorry Kelly!'' For the first time a few tears appeared in her eyes. ''I've lost control over everything... and... I don't know how... and if there is... a way out... of that... I just... see nothing... just...''

Kelly put her hand protectively on her friends shoulder. ''Hey, hey, look at me.'' Her eyebrows lowered with worry. ''You're doing a damn fine job at helping other people. Now it's time to let us -me help you.'' She squeezed gently. ''Now let go, of everything, and let us - me - help you.''

She pulled the covers away and showed her the pillows. ''Lie down, and sleep.''

''But he...''

Kelly momentarily wondered what she was talking about but then remembered. ''Look Bri. Close your eyes. It's just me in the room, nobody else. I want you to close your eyes and trust me on this.''

''You...won't-''

''I won't leave.''

''Kelly-''

''Stop talking.'' She smiled as Sabrina slowly laid down and looked up at her. ''Don't talk. Just close your eyes. We're gonna find a way to sort this out. ''

Sabrina obediently closed her eyes. She had no fight left in her anymore. ''Okay.''

Kelly smiled and pulled the thin covers over her. ''Sleep.'' She bit her lip. They had to stay together. Damn it, they were the angels! They had been working together for almost four years now and they all knew, all three of them knew that out in the field their lives were in the hands of their colleagues not Charlie, the voice over the intercom, but their fellow Angels. And they trusted each other, and they were willing to give their lives for each other. Hell this matters a lot, Kelly thought. Nobody can beat the Angels when they are united. Nobody gets left behind. She looked at her watch. It hadn't even been fifteen minutes and Sabrina was already dozing in a peaceful, deep slumber for the first time probably in a long, long time.


	13. Acceptance

_**Sooooorry for the delay...i got the chapters typed and beta'd yet am sooooo lazyyy lately! Review Review Review por favor...**_

_**LK**_

* * *

Wave after wave crashed onto her, and she wasn't sure of where exactly she was. There was the faint touch of sunshine on her skin but she did not dare to open her eyes, not just yet. The slight smell of flowers close by. A voice. She opened her eyes this time. Darkness. No sunshine. No waves. Just darkness. As she walked it became evident that the scenery was vividly changing. She walked through the familiar streets of Los Angeles and stopped in front of the agency.

Flames were licking the building, a siren was approaching and the fire department was already there. She felt a bit detached from the whole scene. A gurney was wheeled out of the front door, a fireman on each side. A small frame was covered in white linen. Sabrina felt the need to approach. The people didn't stand in her way. She pulled the the white sheet a little bit. Kris. She let it drop again. Another gurney arrived. She approached this one and pulled the sheet up again. It was herself. Her jaw dropped a bit and-

She woke.

She rubbed her eyes painfully. ''Mmm...Gawd...'' she muttered. She looked around. Next to her was a tray with fresh coffee, orange juice an egg and cheese toasties. ''Oh wow...''

She pulled herself to a sitting position and put the tray on her lap. ''Did I get married during the night?'' She wondered out loud. Then a thought hit her. ''Bill?!'' she called. Kelly's head appeared in the door. ''Sorry to disappoint you.''

''Oh man...'' she chuckled. ''You made all this?''

''I figured you will have to eat something if you plan on getting up.'' She was fully dressed. ''It's six o'clock. C'mon, eat quickly, we got a plane to catch.''

''This ain't 'something'!'' Sabrina protested. ''This is the freaking-'' she stopped for lack of some word. ''Gah!''

''Eat!'' Kelly laughed and left.

Sabrina followed her, grabbing the coffee cup. ''I get sick in the airplane.'' Kelly suddenly stopped and the other woman crashed into her. ''Whoa Kelly!''

Kelly closed her left eye as if aiming and forced Sabrina's chin down to look into her eyes. The taller woman pushed her away. ''Hey, hey back off! I'm clean, I swear.''

''O-Kay...!'' She sighed. ''Okay.'' She looked around and Sabrina did the same. ''You see anything?''

''No... not now.'' She blushed. ''Nothing...''

''Good.''

''I'll... go get dressed.''

Kelly nodded and walked upstairs to get their tickets. Half an hour later they were already in Sabrina's car, heading to the airport. The next words they exchanged were while handing their guns and licenses to avoid being patted down in luggage control. The small plane was quiet and they arrived in Death Valley before noon. Johnny was patiently waiting for them when they landed. They wouldn't have to wait again. Somewhere, a few miles before the entrance to the school, the vehicle stopped and Sabrina hopped down. She grinned and gave Kelly a ''thumbs up'' .

''See? I will let you ride alone this time.''

The other angel smiled, and before Johnny started the 4x4 again she leaned out, closer to Sabrina.

''What you've done for me, I would never have asked.'' she whispered. She had been trying to find a way to tell her since last night, but this was the best way she could. Sabrina flashed her a tired smile, and put her hand on her shoulder.''What you've done for me, I would never have accepted from anybody else.''

She jogged away and Kelly sighed. She carefully tucked her gun in her pocket, so it wouldn't be visible to anybody. I wish you weren't like that, Kelly thought. I wish _I _wasn't like that, she added. Her watch told her she could make it to her afternoon shift in time. Despite the heat, she realised with a chill up her spine, that this was the perfect place for a murder. The desert.

* * *

''Dum dee dum dee dum...'' Sabrina hummed. Was she nervous? Yeah, maybe she was. It wasn't her first time in a morgue. Still...

She had been surprised to find out that Johnny was the one who took her there. She greeted him again, properly this time and entered the building. The body was in the local clinic's morgue, and the medical examiner waved her in, a man around his sixties, with graying hair and narrow eyes. He didn't seem very fit for his age, Sabrina noted. Yet, she followed him down a staircase.

The basement of the dead!

Yeah, right Bri. Sound's like the title of a '30s horror movie. Good thing to scare yourself out eh?!

Nope.

Well. She cleared her throat and the man nodded again. ''So what you doing down here again?''

''Hazel's parent's allowed me to take a look at the body. You haven't found a cause of death yet?''

''No, it seems like her heart just... stopped. It happens.''

''Not to a physically fit,twenty year old, kick-boxer.'' Yes. Sabrina had done her homework in the plane. She wasn't about to let this man tell her that there was nothing wrong going on, and this young woman just woke one day and her heart gave out. He didn't respond.

''Did you examine the heart? Was there any bruising or anything out of the ordinary?'' She pressed.

''If there was, I would have told you when you came in.'' he pulled out a notepad. ''Perfect weight and size.''

''And still you ruled her death as ''Natural Causes'' right?'' She said as he opened the door of the fridge number three.

''Yes, of course. Her tox-screen came up clear. ''

''Can I see the general test results?''

''Sure.'' He handed her a printed out paper.

She nibbled her lower lip as she read. ''Her stomach was empty.''

''I figured it was one of these diets you girls do nowadays.''

''She also had signs of dehydration.'' Sabrina pressed again.

''Well hell lady, look at yourself. One night in Death Valley and your lips are already cracking. It's the climate around here, everyone is getting dehydration symptoms. Don't tell me you didn't feel your mouth and eyes dry when you came around?''

Sabrina lowered her head in agreement. Maybe she was just looking at the bad side of things, always. She stretched her hand out to uncover the body from the white cloth. The ME put his hand on hers. She looked up, her eyebrows knitted.

''Are you sure you want to see this?''

''Didn't you say there were no other traumas on the victim?''

''Yes, I did...'' He let his last work hang in the air.

Sabrina pulled away, and uncovered the body to the neck. What she saw almost made her jump back.

''What the hell?!''

''It is common for people dying from a heart attack to be in a lot of pain during their death.'' the man simply said.

''But look at this!'' Sabrina pointed at the mask of horror that the girls face had been turned into. ''I mean-''

''It is completely normal.''

Sabrina frowned and looked deep into the blank dead eyes, that used to be so full of energy and life, and made a silent oath. She closed her eyes and inhaled.

''Do you need a minute?''

''I'm fine.'' And I'm going to catch who did this to you Hazel. I swear.

She swallowed hard and pursed her lip. ''Are you sure there's nothing more?''

''Yes.''

The Angel nodded but then noticed something odd on the raw skin covering the woman's neck.

''Can you turn her around please?''

The medical Examiner pulled on some latex plastic gloves and not to gently turned the petite woman on her belly. Sabrina pursed her lip again. There was a fresh burn, just over Hazel's shoulder blade.

''You still think this was ''Natural Cause'' doctor?''

''Excuse me?''

''There's a damn swastika burned on her! How the hell can it be ''Natural Causes''?! Are you blind or something?!'' She turned on her heel and stopped at the door. ''If you're covering for someone or something...I'm gonna make sure you wont see the light of day for a long time Doctor.'' She slammed the door behind her.

Exiting the air conditioned room the damp heat crashed on her, forcefully. She coughed and sat down, her hands shaking in anger. This heat was making her temper hair triggered. She took in some deep breaths. She needed to calm down. Class started in an hour, and she certainly couldn't spend her day fighting with everyone. If the same person who did this to Hazel killed her, then they could be possibly facing a hate crime. And everybody was doing their best to pretend nothing is wrong. They were possibly facing a hate crime and they could possibly be facing a series of them.


	14. Poison Puppeteer

**_That's a double chapter for you.. with lyrics by Counting Crows... thanks to LAeyeball for the beta.. if i missed something u corrected... sorry! Please let me know what you think...?_**

**_LK_**

* * *

_She don't want nobody near_  
_But you can't get away from that_  
_They appear and disappear_  
_And they all get a string attached_  
_Pretty soon they got you hanging on a line_  
_Pretty soon they're singing one by one the same old rhyme_  
_They say, "I'm alright, I just can't get home tonight"_

_She don't want nobody home_  
_Cause it's a little too crowded then_  
_But she don't wanna be alone_  
_So they just keep pouring in_  
_Pretty soon they have her heading for the door_  
_She comes home to find that they're not hanging round no more_  
_She says, "I'm alright, I just can't get home tonight"_  
_Don't you wonder what she looks like in the light?_  
_She says, "I'm alright, I just can't get home tonight"_

* * *

''Milgram took each one of the volunteers in a room. He introduced them to another candidate, who for the sake of the program was an actor. He picked 'randomly' one...'' Sabrina used her fingers as quotation marks. ''... to take part in the role play as the 'student'. The other one would be the 'teacher', testing a new teaching method.'' She looked around class to see if anyone was paying attention. It seemed that indeed a few pairs of eyes were on her. ''The 'student' got hooked up in a electro-shocking machine with maximum 450V, that is lethal. The teacher asked a set of given, pre-arranged questions to ask, and when the student was wrong he would push a button and the 'student' would receive a shock from 15V, increasing by 15V on every wrong answer.'' She looked around the girls sitting in the room. ''Who would like to make a guess about the percentage in a hundred scale of people who pushed the lethal 450V button?''

A few hands rose and Sabrina nodded at the girl she stumbled upon a couple of nights ago. She lifted an eyebrow questioningly. The girl smiled nervously. ''Alice, my name is Alice.''

''So, tell me Alice, what is your guess?''

''I would say...half?''

''Half percent?''

''Half of the people, fifty percent.''

Sabrina smiled. ''Are you sure? Sounds like a large number.''

A blond girl in front of Alice laughed. ''Naw, impossible. I would say two, two out of a hundred.''

''Nobody asked your opinion Amy!'' barked a muscular girl from the back of the class. ''Stop interrupting everybody!''

Sabrina coughed to get their attention and lifted up her hands. ''Hey, hey simmer down people!'' She flashed another smile for the sake of peace, but a wave of nausea was starting to hit her. She cleared her throat loudly. ''This same question was asked through a poll, and the results were about four percent, close to Amy's opinion. So what does this fact tell us?'' She pointed at Alice again. ''That Amy thinks as an average person would think?''

Sabrina nodded. ''Exactly. Amy shares the same opinion as the average person.'' She paced around the desks. ''The 'student' and 'teacher' were placed in different rooms and they could only hear, and on some variations of the experiment see each other. What they didn't know of course was that there was no electrical shock given, which they learned after the experiment. During it though many of the subjects asked to stop, or questioned the purpose of this. Milgram gave them a succession of verbal prods in the following order. 1,Please _continue. 2, _The experiment requires that you _continue 3, _It is absolutely essential that you _continue_. 4, You have no other choice, you _must_ go on. '' She leaned back on the wall. ''What do you observe about these phrases?'' The muscular girl in the back leaned forward with interest. Sabrina nodded to her direction. ''Name?''

''I'm Hope.'' She tapped her desk with her pencil. ''The commands are gradually getting more intense. It starts with a polite pleading and ends in a command that _must _be followed.''

''Very good.'' The girls stood quiet for a while, waiting for Sabrina to speak. ''After these four gradual , as Hope said, prods, if the subject _still_ insisted to leave the experiment would halt. Otherwise it would halt after the subject had pushed the 450V button three times in a row. The question is, out of the random people that took part in this experiment unknowingly, how many would in a real life situation kill someone under the orders of an authority figure, such as Milgram was in this experiment? The answer is approximately 65%. 65% of you in this class are able to obey an extreme authority figure command and give a lethal shock to someone. 65% of _us._''

''Where are you taking this miss Reyes?'' Hope asked, perplexed.

''I am giving to this experiment as an example of what happened during World War II, during the Nazism.'' Sabrina paced around again. ''I can't deny that many of the Nazi soldiers and general were psychopathic sadists, that found the war as an excuse but I'm trying to show you how dangerous a respected authority, like Hitler is.'' She paused and wondered what was everybody thinking. ''Hitler might have been a psychopath, and a sociopath to a great extent but he was a strong and smart leader.'' Alice raised her hand, but Sabrina waved at her to stop. ''Don't take me wrong, I'm not complimenting the murdered of so many people, I am merely commenting on the facts. I also cannot deny that many of the Nazi soldiers and generals were people living a life like you and me, but under the absolute commands of an extremist like Hitler they were transformed into killing machines. At some point they became victims of their psychopathic leader. Hitler carefully brainwashed them, and turned them against other people, because he needed to blame someone. It was the Jews, the Coloured, the homosexuals, the Roma, the Gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses, Soviet prisoners, prostitutes, and generally people who stood out from the crowd, the perfection Hitler was demanding. What I'm trying to say is, that under the right circumstances anyone has the potential to become one of the Nazi soldiers, using it of course as a metaphor. Alice raised her hand again.

''Yes?'' Sabrina asked.

''Excuse me, miss Reyes, are you defending the Nazis?!'' she asked with a hint of anger in her voice.

''I most certainly am not Alice. I am warning you of the possibilities, so that you keep them in mind and you watch out your moves around cults and groups very carefully, so that you won't be transformed into something you wouldn't like, and so that your free will won't be taken away from you.'' Sabrina took a step back, worrying that her words had been misunderstood. The bell rang. Ha, Sabrina thought, saved by the bell. ''Alice I would like you to write a paragraph about why you thought the percentage would be so high, and you Amy I would like you to write a paragraph as well, explaining why you thought the percentage would be so small. We will compare notes in class tomorrow. The rest of you gonna write a paragraph about your view in Milgram's experiment and what it means for you personally. Use your head and your own words, I'm not a literature teacher!'' She laughed. She watched as Alice got up and sighed. Approaching slowly, she noticed that the girl put her hand on her hip. Sabrina raised her hands, signaling peace. ''I'm not here to argue,but I am interested in your opinion. Have I said something that offended you?'' She said when the room was empty. She pulled a chair for herself and sat down. Alice took a seat opposite to her and hunched, her elbow resting on her knee, fingertips on her forehead. ''Everything, everything you said miss Reyes...I... I do not... I cannot understand how can you defend these people!'' Her chin suddenly lunched upwards and she bit her lower lip.

''You're wrong, I'm not defending anybody.'' At this point Sabrina decided that physical contact wasn't the best option. ''What is going Alice?''

''Yes you are! You damn well are! And you don't even know what the hell you're talking about! Or you may be even one of them! I-''

''Hey, slow down here, I know that-''

''You know what?! You think because I'm black, I'm stupid?! I can see what you're doing here!''

''Okay, stop, stop this now and listen to me. I never meant it this way.'' She patted her pockets for a pack of tissues. She handed it to Alice. ''I am not one of them. And I never meant to defend them. I am stating the possibility, and believe me I would hate to see one of you in here become a close minded brainwashed idiot.'' She raised her hands awkwardly as the petite girl started sobbing. ''Listen, listen-''

''You can't... you can't talk about these people like this...'' She paused to look up at Sabrina. ''You can't... you... can't...'' Her shoulder's hunched even more and her right hand came up and covered her right shoulder, as a defense reflex. Sabrina frowned and gently put her right hand over hers. Slowly she pulled back her T-shirt a little, revealing a burn scar shaped as a swastika on top of left shoulder. ''Who did this to you?'' she said slowly, recognising the shape from Hazel's body.

Alice shook her head. ''I don't know...''

Before Sabrina could ask her the door slammed open and Hope walked in. ''Hey!'' She was easily a six feet six tall and Sabrina immediately got up. Hope took a few wide steps to their direction. ''Leave Alice alone! Like what people have done to her isn't enough! Go away from her!'' Sabrina, for one more time during the past hour raised her hands up, trying to show she wasn't hostile. ''Hey, we're just talking, can you please back up here?! We need some privacy, so I would appreciate it if you-'' her last words were muffled as Hope took another few steps clearing the distance separating them and punched her in the face. Her hand reached for her nose and she felt a steady stream of blood. Her eyes opened wide as she received another blow that send her rolling on the ground covering her face. Alice jumped up and pushed Hope back, tears drying on her face.

''Hope!'' She shoved her back but the taller girl did not move. ''Hope it's alright! You didn't need to punch her!'' She shouted.

Sabrina pushed herself up with a lot of effort. The past few days had gotten to her. Not sleeping, not eating, and there was this constant need of the addiction that gradually worn her off during the day. She groaned but didn't say anything. _I kinda deserved that... but for other reasons..._she thought. Alice took her stance as hostile though and shoved her back. ''Don't hit her!'' she screamed to Sabrina this time.

''Din't blan do...'' she, her voice muffled by her hands. Hope made a step forward but Alice pushed her back and got between them.

''Stop! Cut it out you two!''

Sabrina made a grimace. ''I dibn't do anyfing!'' She grabbed the tissue pack and quickly pushed one against her nose. ''Not fair!''

Hope snorted crossed her arms on her chest. Alice looked at her accusingly. ''Go...go! Get out of here!'' Sabrina waved at her the same. ''Go!'' She replaced the tissue with another and tossed it in the waste bin. Alice followed her. ''Miss Reyes I'm sorry, I'm very sorry about this-''

Sabrina sat down, suddenly a bit dizzy. ''It's alright, it's okay, it's okay...''

''Me and Hope... we're here with a scholarship, we can't afford the school, and if we get kicked out of here-''

''You won't okay?!'' Sabrina's eyes wandered on Alice's face. ''You won't. What happened stays between us.''

Alice waited a little while, to make sure that she was serious and then abruptly hugged her. Sabrina groaned and kept her bloody hands away from her back. ''Oof...Okay, okay, let go of me now...C'mon...''

''Th-Thank you miss Reyes! Thank you so much thank you-''

''Not here, not now. Tonight at eight... come to my room. We need to talk.''

Alice opened her mouth to say something but Sabrina stopped her. ''Nobody will learn about this. I won't tell anyone. Tell Hope she doesn't need to worry okay?'' Alice nodded and turned to leave. Sabrina stopped her at the door. ''You got a very good friend here Alice.''

They exchanged a small smile and Sabrina closed the door.

_Oh my God I don't want the teacher cover ever, ever again..._

Kelly was waiting patiently outside the bathroom door. She could admit that the sounds of Sabrina being sick behind the door made her slightly nauseous too. She knocked. ''You okay?''

She heard the tap, water streaming, then silence for a few seconds. The door unlocked and Sabrina walked out, eyes gleaming. She exhaled heavily, walked to the arm chair and allowed her knees to buckle. ''Gawd...''

Kelly shook her head and offered her a bottle of cold water. She gratefully accepted it. A few breathless gulps lated she managed to speak. ''Sorry...''

The other woman pulled a chair next to her friend. ''I don't know how you gonna go on like this. You need to eat something.''

Sabrina waved her hand. ''I know, I know...'' She coughed. ''Mmm...''

Kelly frowned, her eyes seemingly penetrating Sabrina's forehead and reading her thoughts. She followed the taller woman's gaze to the closet behind her and then up to the ceiling. ''Where is it?'' Kelly asked.

''Where is what?''

''You know what.'' Kelly rose to her feet.

Sabrina sighed. ''I left it in LA.''

Kelly sighed herself. ''Oh come on Bri...'' She walked to the closet and opened it. She started patting around clothes and drawers. Sabrina groaned. ''Okay, okay. Bottom drawer.'' Kelly quickly retrieved the small plastic packet containing a white powdery substance. She shoved it in her pocket, watching as Sabrina made a small move to protest but sunk deeper in the armchair after all. She laid her head back and closed her eyes. ''This stays with me.'' Kelly announced.

Sabrina reached for the water bottle again and emptied it. It felt good. She checked her watch. Seven. She was trying to get up when both of them heard a muffled shot echo through their floor. Kelly was the first one to jolt into action, opening the door and running to the direction of the shot. Sabrina, with a small delay, was right behind her, as they both ran, Kelly in a blue waitress skirt that was making it extremely hard to move around in ease, and Sabrina in faded blue and red teddy-bear pajamas, that under other circumstances Kelly would stop and laugh at. But right now they were both running towards what they knew was Kris' room. Unfortunately Kelly wasn't as graceful in her high heels and she tripped into the corridor carpet and next was Sabrina who didn't manage to stop in time. They both tumbled on each other and rolled on the uneven floor for a while, before Kris' door opened and light seeped out the dark corridor. The edge of the door caught Kelly on the eyebrow. She picked herself up and burst into the room, falling on Kris this time, who shoved a gun in her side. ''Hey, HEY!'' Kelly shouted and the blond girl threw the small revolver on her bed. ''Oh my God Kelly!'' The pulled away from each other and turned to Sabrina, who was still picking herself from the floor. She pointed at them, keeping one hand on the wall to support herself. ''Are you two crazy?!'' She pointed at Kris. ''And are you OK?!'' Kelly moved inside the apartment and sniffed the air.

''What's that smell?'' Then she noticed the blood on the floor. ''Seriously Kris?''

Sabrina followed Kris inside and shook her head. ''A rat? You shot a rat?!''

''Hey!'' Kris threw her hands in the air. ''It suddenly ran out of my closet! What was I supposed to do?!''

Sabrina snorted and bent over the dead form of the rodent. She pretended to pull a recorder from her pocket. ''Victim is young, early twenties...'' She took a step backwards. ''Male, carried no personal effects...'' Kelly laughed and slapped Sabrina's shoulder as a warning. ''Don't pick at her!'' She turned to Kris. ''I surely don't want to play hide and seek in your closet again!''

Kris frowned. ''You play hide and seek in my house?'' Kelly opened her mouth to find an excuse but she didn't have any. She smiled awkwardly. Sabrina shrugged. ''Naw, not always, only when Kelly is very drunk and I'm trying to make her put some clothes on... '' She stopped and laughed when Kelly stomped on her foot. ''What?!'' Kris shouted at them. ''When we get home you both are giving me your keys to my place!'' Sabrina whistled innocently and opened the closet. She looked at Kris. ''Is this your hat?'' she asked.

Kris took a steps to the closet. ''Yeah, why?''

''Looks like it's someone's home now...'' she took the large hat out and laid it down on the bed. ''Heh!''

''Are these...alive?'' Kelly pointed to the small pink bundles inside.

Sabrina picked one and held it in her palm. It moved. ''Rat babies! Always wanted one!''

Kris pushed the hat in Sabrina's free hand. ''Tell you what then, you go play with them, just take them OUT of my room!''

''Yay!'' Sabrina cheered and quickly left the room, before Kelly and Kris realised they had been left to clean the rest.

''Hey!'' Kelly protested, but she was already gone. She sighed. The revolver was small and all the girls were outside, so nobody else had heard anything. While cleaning up, it was time to exchange information. She let Kris know about what Sabrina had found in the autopsy. It looked like many things had happened during the day she and Bri were gone.

''So, April didn't return from visiting her parents at the arranged day. The principal called the parent's and, surprise, they had never invited their daughter.''

''So April has been missing for a week already? No body found?''

''Exactly. The worst is that this morning, another girl, Serena Walter went missing.'' She paused to look around for a mop. ''She's in Sabrina's class...was.''

''Ugh...'' Kelly said, but Kris wasn't sure if it was about the girl or because Kelly was having trouble stuffing the rat inside the bag.

''This girl Alice, will be meeting with Bri?''

''Yeh, she plans to tell her she's private eye.'' She started scrubbing the wood floor with warm soapy water. ''Don't know if it's a wise move.'' She wiped some sweat away from her eyes. ''After all the girls private titan friend punched Sabrina's lights out this morning...''

''Whoa...'' Kris said. ''Hope?''

''Yeah, that girl, how did you know?''

''Not hard to guess from your description...Hey Kelly?''

The other woman stopped what she was doing, sensing that her friends words were serious. ''What is it?''

''What's wrong with Bri?''

''Jet-lag.'' She lied.

''Oh-Kay...''

The both looked up simultaneously when they heard a distinct crying.

* * *

_Pretty whitewashed lies_  
_Endless alibis_  
_And reasons that need cleaning every night_  
_Half a world away_  
_You can't wash away the stain of the deceiving_  
_And the things that you cannot believe, and well..._

_She don't want no one around_  
_Cause she don't want anybody to see_  
_What she looks like when she's down_  
_Cause that's a really sad place to be_  
_Pretty soon she gets them crawling up the walls_  
_Then she wonders why they beg her please to never call_  
_She says, "I'm OK. It's , look who's on TV_  
_tonight"_  
_She says, "I'm alright, I just can't get home tonight"_  
_Don't you wonder why it's dark outside at night?_  
_She says, "I'm alright, I just can't get home tonight"_


End file.
